Somerville, MA Young Park, president of Berkeley Investments, Inc., said that construction on Millbrook Lofts, a 100-unit loft-style apartment building near Kendall Sq., is officially complete and 50% leased.  The new residential project is a transformational adaptive reuse of a 100-year-old cold storage facility that sits at the gateway to Somerville and is already welcoming new residents.  Calling Millbrook Lofts home are several local artists including Lisa Kaufman, Betsy Roper, Christina Simmarano and Noah Sussman, who will use their live / work studios to showcase their dynamic artwork.  This is Berkeley’s second residential project in Somerville; their first project, 625 McGrath, brought 34 townhouse-style apartments to market in 2014.

Millbrook Lofts offers a mix of: studios one-, and  two-bedrooms many of them with dens, 11 penthouses and 15 affordable homes, including five live/work artist studios.

The first-floor’s 1,000 s/f plus artist lofts and work spaces are intended to foster creative living by offering public exhibitions and open studios in a market Somerville mayor Joseph Curtatone said “fueled by a burgeoning creative economy.”  Likewise, the residential common and living areas on the first floor of Millbrook were purposefully designed for residents to collaborate and network with one another with moveable furnishings and a state-of-the-art, shared media room and conference area.  The arrangement of the lobby furniture - club chairs, industrial stools and stainless steel work tables - encourage impromptu meetings, formal conferences, communal dining, working on laptops, or simply hanging out with friends.  “This is more than just a home for these new residents and artists. This is an innovative way of life for those who will make a positive, creative impact on our city.”

Units at Millbrook range in size from 500 s/f to 1,300 s/f.  Many feature exposed concrete ceilings and columns to reflect a minimalist, industrial feel with modern amenities and finishes.  Most have dramatic views of the Boston skyline, Harvard University or nearby Kendall Sq. 

“This project is really an exciting one for the city of Somerville,” said mayor Curtatone.  “The landscape in our city is changing for many positive reasons, thanks in part to strategic public investments and the commitment of partners like Berkeley Investments.  Our residents are helping to drive this creative transformation as well, and we couldn’t be happier.  New residential projects like Millbrook exemplify the dedication and creativity that the artist community is bringing to Somerville to make this an exceptional city to live, work, play and raise a family.”

Millbrook Lofts was designed by architects Bargmann Hendrie + Archetype [BH+A] of Boston.  Bowdoin Construction oversaw the core and shell of the project while Reynolds Construction worked on the building’s interior.  Princeton Properties is the property manager for the project.  Interior design and model unit were conceptualized by Cheryl and Jeffrey Katz of C&J Katz Studio, best known for their design work on numerous residential projects and restaurants like No. 9 Park, Menton, Sportello, Drink, and Sarma.  According to the Katzs, “In any adaptive reuse project, we uncover and document the traits—material, use, location, light—that are particular to the host building.   A cold storage building like this one, with solid walls and almost no windows presented a bit of a mystery.  One could only imagine what might be inside. We were intrigued and wanted to take advantage of what seemed like a unique opportunity.  Knowing that this would be a residential building, our mission was to maintain a sense of urban adventure in this extraordinary space.”

Somerville alderman Maryann Heuston (Ward 2) said, “The design of this building is outstanding.  It’s a beacon for anyone entering our city because you can see it from the highway and main thoroughfares entering the city.  I’m thrilled to call this project the Gateway to Somerville.”

Park is excited “to contribute to the unique vitality of Somerville with this project” and “appreciates the value of the many benefits and amenities that Millbrook Lofts will offer new residents.”  He notes that the MBTA Green Line and immediate highway access that Millbrook offers will make it a highly desirable location for renters who want a tremendous value so close to the city of Boston and Kendall Sq.  In addition, tenants will also appreciate “our environmentally-friendly amenities like a shared roof-deck with living roof and the ample bike storage we offer for those who commute to work on two wheels.”  LEED Gold certification was also achieved as a result of sustainable features such as low-flow water fixtures and sustainably forested wood products which are incorporated into the design of the apartments.

The eight-story project [a new level was added to the existing structure’s top with eleven penthouses] has onsite parking for 100 vehicles and homes will feature an abundance of natural light through expansive and operable windows, many floor to ceiling.  Most penthouse units offer private terraces and all homes boast contemporary finishes with tiled bathrooms, kitchens with quartz counters and stainless steel, high-energy efficient appliances, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, in-unit washer and dryers and an overall modern aesthetic that blends perfectly with historic loft elements.  

In addition to the artists in residence program, local artists’ works feature prominently in the living / common area on the first floor, and in the elevator landings on each floor of the building.  “It was important that we showcase the amazing and prolific local talent from Somerville and Cambridge throughout the building,” said Eric Ekman, senior vice president of development for Berkeley. Some of the artists whose artwork can be found in Millbrook include sculpture, paintings, digital photography and prints by Catherine Tweedie Ball, Jerry Lainoff, Wally Gilbert and Lois Blood Bennett.

Millbrook Lofts is located at 9 Medford St., next to Twin City Plaza which offers the convenience of a supermarket, drug store, fitness center and retail stores.  Located on the Cambridge line near the MBTA’s Lechmere Station and a walk to Kendall and Union Sqs., Millbrook is transforming a century-old concrete structure into homes that offer a new creative, urban lifestyle in a location with views of Boston and beyond.